Explored

A member of four search and rescue organizations, Kate Fernhoff works alongside her canine sidekick, Ronan, a wilderness live find dog and human remains detection dog. This is the tale of their search for two lost hikers.

Mark and his trained therapy dog, Bento, volunteer at OHSU Hospital to deliver joy to patients and staff. In this story, Mark gives a glimpse into a day in the life of a therapy dog.

Can pups really help save the Mediterranean Tortoise from the brink of extinction? Ruffwear Ambassador Alfonso Pera Contreras introduces us to his detection dogs, Jara and Olivia, who are carrying out vital detective work to help this endangered species thrive again in Spain. 

When not busy with their day jobs as Ruffwear’s Retail Brand Experience Designer (and the unofficial Director of Dogs & Culture for Marv), Mary and Marv are a therapy dog team for the Reading Partners Program at Elk Meadow Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. This is their story. 

At Ruffwear, we believe in using our business for good. Our Paw It Forward program helps us cultivate a world where all dogs and their humans thrive in the outdoors. Seeking some giving inspiration this holiday season? Here’s a recap of our Paw It Forward winners for 2022. 

Abby Smith had dreamed of working as a conservation dog handler since childhood. But her German Shepherd, Hugo, started out on a different path. As a puppy, he trained to be a guide dog – with Abby as his puppy raiser. When a health test led to Hugo’s release from the program, Abby adopted him and started working as a handler for Rogue Detection Teams. Hugo joined her for the ultimate experiment: can a former guide dog-trained pup swing it in the detection dog world?

Paralympic Gold Medalist, Allysa Seely, attributes much of her success to her service dogs, Bentley and Mowgli. Here, we learn just how much support they've provided along her inspiring journey.

In 2015, Ruffwear's Service Dog Channel Manager, Greg, visited the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus for the first time. This is the story of his immersive experience on their campus and how it jump-started his passion for supporting the guide dog community with Ruffwear products.

Ruffwear’s Content Creator, Erin Swanson, recently made the trek to Mt. Bachelor with our Videographer, Photographer, and Community Manager. Their mission? Learn about (and play with) Mt. Bachelor’s newest avalanche puppy in-training, Ruddy.

At Ruffwear, we’re purpose driven – we believe in using our business for good. Cultivating a world where all dogs and their human companions thrive in the outdoors is part of our DNA. Looking for ways to give back this Giving Tuesday? Here are some of our favorite organizations we’ve given back to recently. 

Rogue Detection Dog Bounders (handlers) Heath and Jennifer had some great words and pictures to share with us about their history with the Web Master, and how their work and partnership contributed to the development of the High-Vis Web Master.

As snow blankets ski areas across North America each winter, avalanche rescue dogs are clocking in and going to work on the slopes. These highly-trained dogs and their ski patroller handlers train at their home mountains every day during ski season.

Rogue Detection Teams bring the conservation detection dog method to the forefront of scientific research. They provide knowledgeable field teams and hands-on instruction for researchers, aspiring dog handlers, and citizen scientists, fostering collaboration and community involvement in the world of conservation.

Rogue Detection Dogs are happy to work all day traversing plains, climbing up mountains, trekking through snow, and clambering over rocks and fallen trees, all with the expectation of playing with their ball – their reward for successfully locating wildlife scat. Ruffwear proudly supports and partners with Rogue Detection Teams by providing gear to all of the dogs. 

In the summer of 2019, Yosemite National Park’s Terrestrial Wildlife unit secured special permits for three conservation detection dog-handler teams from Rogue Detection Teams. The goal: systematically survey the Park to detect and collect scat from the Sierra Nevada red fox, the cougar, and the fisher. As a research scientist and detection dog handler, I was ecstatic to be a part of this project.

Veteran Chad Brown struggled with severe PTSD. Then, after a life-changing fishing trip, he decided that he would dedicate his life to giving back to others who might find healing, connection, and purpose in nature – specifically, inner city youth and veterans. He founded the nonprofit organization Soul River, Inc., through which he brings at-risk youth and veterans into the outdoors.

Blind from birth, Nancy started using a cane at the age of 6 and taking buses at the age of 10. Now, Nancy has had a total of 4 guide dogs. They’ve guided her on some grand excursions: summiting 14-ers in Colorado, hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, exploring countless miles of trails, and paddling alpine lakes.

Richard Hunter is a blind endurance athlete who has made it his life’s work to encourage blind athletes to participate in sports and other activities that push the limits of their comfort zone. His guide dog, Klinger, was the first graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Running Guides Program.

If anyone is born a runner, it’s Pam McGonigle. She was also born with visual impairment, but that never slowed her down. She was hooked on the sport after winning her first race in 6th grade and went on to compete at the Paralympics, winning gold. In 2008, Pam got her first dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind.   

The Guiding Eyes for the Blind Running Guides program graduated its first team, Klinger and Richard, in 2015. These specially trained dogs enable people who are blind and visually impaired to run with only their guide’s support. For the first time, runners with vision loss don’t have to rely on human guides.

Imagine being a dog. Not just any dog, mind. A dog with boundless energy and so much drive, you struggle to fit into normal family life. Unfortunately, this means you might spend your whole life in a shelter. Wait, there’s good news! Your intense focus and insatiable urge to play make you a great fit for the Conservation Canines, an organization that rescues dogs from shelters and pairs them with human handlers.

 We sent Alli, our resident ultra runner and ski mountaineer, to California to spend a few days in the field with the Conservation Canines. Her mission was to get to know our CK9 partners a little better and gain first-hand experience with the work they do. She was also collecting feedback on our products and their performance in the field.

Hello, my name is Chester. It has been 8 years since I have chased a chicken. That's because I am fully employed as a Conservation Canine, and I have been part of this program for 8 beautiful years. In my long career, I have studied bears in the Pyrenees, cougars in Washington, wolves in Alberta and bobcats in Wisconsin. I'd like to tell you my story. 

Ruffwear has been working with the Conservation Canines since 2008. The more we get to know both the people and dogs who make up the organization, the more we are proud to call them a partner and ambassador. We recently got a chance to catch up with Heath in between trips to the field to ask him a few questions about the program, the dogs involved, and the work they are doing.